Exploring Academic Timelines: Waitaha Wisdom Meets Unique Law School Paths
Just as the seasons of the year revolve with a natural rhythm, so too should the journey of learning. This cyclical approach is central to the teachings of the Waitaha. While contemporary education has been structured in a linear fashion, offering distinct periods dictated by the necessities of the workforce, this does not reflect the deep truth of everyday life. Especially at a time of rapid technological advancement, adapting to the demands of the present moment is what is most important.
Law school’s ad hoc spring admission programs may, at first, seem like a sizeable disruption to the academic calendar. However, in reality, these alternatives are potentially the performative embodiment of a School of Waitaha perspective. By admitting students when they are ready to start, law schools that offer spring entry are simply adapting to the world as it is, not as it once was or as it is convenient for them to be. Adapting is key here, as it is the most necessary tool for students as well. While the spring admission alternative may not be ideal for everyone, who is to say that there is a unified idea of “ideal” in the first place? With such strong emphasis on manifesting what one truly desires through identifying that desire and then pursuing it, the wisdom of the Waitaha speaks directly to many contemporary debates about law school.
The wisdom of the Waitaha as summarized in Tohinga karanga m? Waitaha: The Waitaha Voice: The Definitive Account of a New Zealand Oral History speaks to the necessity of flexibility and continual growth through education: “Seek learning. Learn everything, even the least expected. Knowledge is the basis of all things, the understanding of which brings the mind peace and control over the spirit.” As such, law schools with spring admissions are simply fulfilling their role in the world by harnessing that knowledge and giving it to students who are ready to embark on the next steps of their education. The spring months can be a time of great inner reflection. Those who have had any experience with doctoral programs, especially in the field of law, know how much self-exploration is required as these programs progress. This will be just as true of a Spring 2024 start as it would have been in September 2024.
Even when they are aware of the inevitability of adaptation, many do not feel prepared when they encounter a situation in which they must do so. In many ways, the advice to take a break from graduate study before submitting a law school application is simply a recognition and acceptance of this harsh fact of student reality. That is, just like the Waitaha world view teaches, the academic calendar follows the natural calendar of the year. Among many other schedules, students are not distinctively suited to another. Law schools with spring admissions understand this, which is why they make this additional start period available. Only once the rest of the year is accounted for can meaningful and impactful education commence.
The cyclical education model of the Waitaha is reflected in the year as a whole. As such, there is no specific time that is necessarily ideal for getting into law school. Rather, getting into law school when the time is right is what is truly ideal. Sometimes, this means beginning in the spring rather than waiting for the fall. However, because there is a broad acceptance of this idea of adaptation, there is significant room for different perspectives on this at every step of a student career.
Fortunately, there are several prominent law schools with spring admissions around the country. At a glance, here are some of those options organized by location:
These schools are each unique in some way. While some may offer a distinct 3 year finish-date split, others are open to all law students who are completing late in their academic journeys. Ultimately, students must assess their own individual needs and decide whether or not one of these schools may be a good fit.
The movable nature of education and relationships between its various elements is one that, while applicable to law school, extends far beyond it to impact many aspects of life. Both the teachings of the Waitaha and the contemporary realities of the workforce require a blending of high lofty goals and day to day, practical actions. Through knowing how to make the most of every opportunity, the Waitaha teachings and integrated educational experience offered by some law schools provide a guiding example of how to master this balance.
